Laura Luján: "To play on Premier Padel"Physical fitness has become indispensable." Padel Magazine

Only at 21 years Laura Luján Rodríguez has already established herself in the main paintings of Premier PadelThe player originally from Seville , currently 45th in the world , however, had to climb the ranks one by one: junior tournaments, the FIP Tour, the qualifiers of Premier Padel, then the final tables.

Met during the Madrid P1 The Spaniard reflects on this progression, the new demands of the very highest level, the importance of physical work, but also the financial cost of an international career.

A journey that the French public is already partly familiar with. In 2025, Laura Luján shared the stage with Léa Godallier After several finals, the Franco-Spanish pair had notably won the FIP Silver of Bandol , dominating Sandra Bellver and María Rodríguez 6/3 6/3 in the final.

End of the adventure for Léa Godallier and Laura Lujan

Today associated with Araceli Martínez Laura Luján continues her development among the best players on the circuit. Her official profile displays a 45th place in the world , 1,358 points and a career-best ranking of 44th.

"I played practically every weekend."

You've been through all the stages: junior tournaments, the FIP Tour, the qualifiers of Premier Padel Then the main tables. How did you manage to progress so quickly?

Laura Luján: I finished my junior career with some excellent results. Things were going really well for me, and I even became world champion. So I was really keen to take the next step and join the professional circuit.

Ultimately, I didn't focus solely on FIP tournaments for very long. Maybe a year at most. However, I played almost every weekend. We were fortunate enough to achieve some very good results, and I won many FIP tournaments.

At that time, players already playing on Premier Padel They also called us to play with them, because the situation regarding points and registrations was not yet as complicated as it is today.

"At the beginning, we weren't winning much in qualifying."

These results on the FIP Tour then opened doors for you to Premier Padel...

Yes. Since I was getting good results in the FIP tournaments, some players suggested I participate with them. Premier PadelEven though I didn't have a huge number of points yet, I still had the opportunity to compete in the qualifiers.

To be honest, we weren't winning many qualifying matches at the beginning. But by continuing to train, we gradually reached the necessary level.

I was then mixing FIP tournaments and Premier PadelThis allowed me to continue entering the qualifying rounds of Premier Padelto accumulate experience, while trying to win titles and points on the FIP Tour.

We then managed to become seeded in the qualifying rounds. From there, we qualified for many main draws. I believe that, for almost an entire season, we managed to get through the qualifying rounds.

Laura Luján: "To play on Premier PadelPhysical fitness has become essential.

Decisive opportunities in his progression

However, you didn't yet have enough points to be directly entered into the standings…

No, but several higher-ranked players gave me the opportunity to play directly in the main draws with them. It's also thanks to these opportunities that I was able to earn the necessary points and then manage to stay in the main draws.

Now, the matches are obviously much more difficult. We haven't won a huge number of matches in the knockout stages yet. We've sometimes reached the round of 16, but we need to keep progressing step by step.

This season, Laura Luján and Araceli Martínez notably reached the round of 16 of the Valencia P1 after having upset Nuria Rodríguez and Giulia Dal Pozzo, both of whom had reached the semi-finals of the Rome Major. The pair had won 2/6 7/5 6/4. The FIP had revisited this performance.

"I still have a lot of things to improve."

Now that you are regularly featured in the tables of Premier PadelHow do you organize your daily work?

I think I still have a lot of room for improvement. My coaches mainly talk to me about my physical conditioning. It's extremely important, and I'm working much more seriously on that aspect.

Before, I didn't really do any physical training, or I took it a bit lightly. Now, I understand that, in order to progress on Premier PadelPhysical fitness was essential. So I focused much more on that aspect.

Technically, I also think I have a lot of room for improvement.

A schedule that leaves little room for training

Is it still possible to make significant changes to your game in the middle of such a busy season?

It's complicated, because of the tournaments Premier Padel They take place almost every week. You often have to arrive several days before the start of the competition. When you lose, you usually leave the next day, and many tournaments are held outside of Spain.

It therefore becomes very difficult to find time to work on and improve one's game. When a week becomes available, it's sometimes necessary to forgo participating in a FIP tournament in order to stay home and train as much as possible. The preseason is also an important period for this.

When I lose a match, I try to get home as quickly as possible so I can resume training. We don't try to make big changes all at once, because we need to maintain our confidence for the next tournament. The goal is rather to gradually integrate small improvements.

"Sleep is very important... and I love it!"

With travel, matches, and training, how do you manage recovery?

We are fortunate to have physiotherapists available at tournaments. Premier PadelOf course, you can't go five times a day, but after training or a match, you can receive treatment. That's a very important advantage for recovery.

When I get home, I also meet up with my team and my own physiotherapist. We discuss things together to organize the sessions and adjust the training load.

Sleep is also essential. Personally, I love to sleep! Then there's diet. I didn't always eat very well before. I didn't have a nutritionist, and I really like sweets.

Since I started working with nutritionists, I've felt a real difference. For me, nutrition is almost as important as physical preparation.

"Diet greatly influences performance."

So you've completely changed your habits?

Yes. Proteins, carbohydrates, and everything else you eat before a match can truly help you perform better on the track.

All these elements greatly influence your performance, not only during matches, but also in your daily work. When you want to compete at the highest level, you can no longer neglect these kinds of details.

"Without sponsors, a career like mine wouldn't be possible."

Being a professional player also involves a significant budget. How do you finance your season?

Honestly, it's largely thanks to my agent. When I finished my youth career, my parents were still paying for all my expenses.

But when you reach the professional circuit, almost all the tournaments are far from home, and that represents a significant cost. My agent trusted me and contacted several brands to build a project around me.

I am accompanied today by Joma For equipment and the financial side of things, I also have a sponsor in the apartment sector in Marbella. For nutrition and dietary supplements, I work with Scientific Nutrition .

Without these partners, it wouldn't be possible. A large part of the tour takes place outside of Spain, which involves a lot of travel and plane tickets. I didn't want my parents to continue bearing all that financial burden alone.

It is therefore mainly thanks to my sponsors that I can attend the various tournaments and pursue my professional career.

Alexandre Prevert

Director & Coach of his high-level Academy in Barcelona: Alexandre shares life on the FIP circuits & Premier Padel !